


there, at the end, is a star

by ncfan



Series: Middle-Earth and Númenor in the Second Age [11]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, I Survived First Age Beleriand Week, ISFAB Week, Númenor, Second Age, things yet to come
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-11
Updated: 2014-06-11
Packaged: 2018-02-04 06:25:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1768951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ncfan/pseuds/ncfan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elros saw her standing at his brother's side, even when all others remained insensible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	there, at the end, is a star

**Author's Note:**

> Writen for day four of 'I Survived First Age Beleriand' week on Tumblr.

The sunlight looked like fire on his skin, but his skin did not burn, and Elros knew that this, if nothing else, was a sign that he was at his end. When his body no longer felt the realities of this world, he could not possibly be a part of the world for much longer. He had heard that Edhil felt like this when they began to fade. When the fire of their spirits began to devour their bodies, they would no longer feel the sunlight on their skin, nor smell the salt of the ocean, and though Elros had not counted himself as an Edhel in over four hundred years, it seemed that dying would be something very similar to fading for him.

Elros had felt the footsteps of death behind him for a very long time. Being able to die felt almost like a relief.

He was no longer able to rise from his bed, but he could still see, with eyes just as keen as they had been in his youth. His brother sat on one side of the bed, the mirror image of what Elros had once been, sitting in stony silence, the vigil that he had kept for months now, and rarely left. His children sat on the other side, Tindómiel closest with Vardamir, Manwendil and Atanalcar just behind her, all of them quite grayed and elderly themselves. Tindómiel was the only one of his children who had never married, the only one of his children who had never left his house. She had been at his bedside the most of his children, but Elros had no doubt that his sons would have been here just as often, if they could.

The sunlight was condensing at Elrond's side; Elros watched it, fascinated. Though his brother could not see, suddenly, a small child, a little girl with black hair and pale skin, appeared at his shoulder, staring up at him with a bright, inviting smile on her face.

For a moment, Elros thought that Vardilmë or Mairen had snuck into the chamber, and almost raised his voice to call on Vardamir to shoo his daughter and granddaughter out. But then, he remembered that Vardilmë was over two hundred years old and Mairen was past sixty this summer. Then, he saw that this girl was shining with light and that he could see past her to the hangings on the opposite wall.

Elrond could not see her, even though she was nearly leaning into his side. He was insensible of her, but Elros saw his brother's features reflected in her face, in her bright, dark eyes as she smiled at him.

He understood.

His daughter had been the morning star. His brother's child would be the star that heralded twilight.

She held her hand out to him, beaming and sparkling like her namesake, and Elros placed his wizened hand in hers.

**Author's Note:**

> Edhil—Elves (singular: Edhel) (Sindarin)


End file.
